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Click, Click...

Ken

Gone but not forgotten
Joined
Jan 30, 2001
Messages
8,236
Location
Hermosa Beach, CA
Corvette
1987 Z51 Silver Coupe
I don't know if I posted before about a "metallic clicking" sound coming from my drivetrain, somewhere (?). It only happens when putting a (directional) load on the drivetrain; when I first put a load on it to move forward, there is a click or two, and when I stop torquing it, shift to reverse and start to put a load on it in that direction, there is a click or two. :confused We just can't seem to pin that one down.

Dave at Guldstrand's wasn't sure, and they did the rear gear install, as well as all of the suspension and brake (all four rotors have been replaced) modifications. He thinks it might be axle clips of some sort, but those were something in a later style rear end I think he said. And yes, we replaced all six (seven actually if you count the one we found bad when I was in the shop a month or so after the initial replacement). He didn't seem concerned though. :eyerole

I had a friend visiting recently that's been a wrench all of his career (35-40 yrs or so), and he, brave soul that he is, stuck his head under my rear tire :L while I put a load on the drivetrain. He thought the click was coming from the transmission. Now that made sense; after all, my O/D was slipping anyway.

Well guess what? The rebuilt O/D is in and works fine, but the click is still there. :s I sure do hope that something hidden doesn't finally decide to break while going long-distance. :eek

I should mention that the clicking noise started after I got the new wheels. At first I thought it was the "centering rings" that were included with the Borbet wheels, but I have replaced all of those. Then we discovered a cracked lug nut (see Lug Nut), so I replaced all twenty of those. Still there. :mad

Hmmmm....Curiouser and curiouser...
 
HI there,
First I would try putting it on an alignment rack, and attempt to duplicate this there. With you tech under the car, with a tool that we call a 'chassis ear', which is basically an electronic stethoscope.
This will probably give you a better chance of isolating the condition.
If I were a betting man, I would say possibly a slightly played u-joint or a creaking bushing at the outputshaft at the transmission.
One thing about driveline issues, alot of times, the noise travels the driveline, and it is VERY difficult to diagnose.
Best to you, c4c5
 
First Impression

Ken:

When you described that clicking sound under a drive load the first thing I thought of was U-joints. Check both ends of drive shaft.

Just a hunch,
__________
:cool
Al
 
Ken,

I'm pretty sure what you might be hearing are the aluminum half shafts torqueing up. They can make a popping or clicking noise as they do. I remember reading about it somewhere and what they did about it. I will try to find the article today for you.

Dave
 
GM Fix

General Motors came out with a notice years ago.. for the '84 if memory serves me correct...

GM recommended using their waxy grease spray.. and on the end of the propeller shaft as well as the half shafts into a small hole at the end of each shaft, and if the shafts did not have this hole to drill a small hole to accomodate the small straw type spraying nozzle.

Supposedly the shafts had some problems with the welded ends of the shafts and it would cause creaking doing intial loading..

This is for real... I even tried it on my creeking, 1981.. didn't work :(

BudD
:w
 

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